Model Boat Mayhem
Technical, Techniques, Hints, and Tips => The "Black Arts!" ( Electrics & Electronics ) => Topic started by: Paul R on July 28, 2007, 08:02:30 pm
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I'm looking for a good quality Diesel or petrol sound generator (6 cylinder preferably) for a fifties speed boat. Must be good sound quality in other words one that doesn't just have a ticking noise that is supposed to sound realistic? Any thoughts anybody?
Regards
Pau R
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JJC do just what you want.
Westbournes sell them.
http://www.westbourne-models.com/#1X0
Hear the sounds here
http://www.jjc-electronics.com/Propenginesounds.html
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Thanks for your reply..
Paul R
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My knowledge of them store-bought sound units is pretty thin. So am I right in thinking that each module is limited to just one particular pre-programmed sound?
So what about a unit that could be programmed to play any sound you want? So-called voice chips have been around for yonks, which allows you stuff the chip with just about any sound you need.
A rummage through Google returned a myriad different model boat engine sounds (MP3 format... WAV, etc, etc). All you need is a connection from your PC soundcard 'line out', or portable tape recorder, cellphone, etc, and the appropriate sound fed to the chip. And re-programmed as many times as you want.
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Given the many posts elsewhere on JJC reliability (?) you might want to try
www.action-electronics.co.uk
www.audiosparx.com
www.sounddogs.com
I have purchased from all three at very reasonable prices and loaded the sounds from the last two on a £4.49 Tesco MP3 player to give good results. The MP3 player is modified to switch on/off via a servo.
BarryM
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Hi Barry,
Do you use the MP3 play on continuous loop?
What do you use for an amplifier?
Martin.
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Martin,
I'm using a Maplins Universal amp Pt. No. N64AW as recommended to me by others on this forum. I've no need for continuous loop as it's a gunfire SFX that is being generated.
In normal operation, the MP3 player is switched on/off by depressing the same button momentarily. Thus I've bridged the MP3 switch with a microswitch operated by a cam on a servo. Servo operation depresses microswitch momemtarily and player runs. Switching off servo again causes cam to operate microswitch and player stops.
Does this help?
Barry M
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Excellent.
Would those MP3 plug in speakers be good enough?
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=97922&doy=30m7
or
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5345162.htm
What we need here is a "How too" article..... !
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Martin,
I can't help you there. I picked other brains on this forum (see 'Electrics' and 'Sound Module Coupling' thread) and used an 8w speaker that was lying in my bitsa box.
The whole point was to produce a sound sytem that would generate two different SFX (gunfire and siren) and I have now ended up with a system incorporating a servo operating five(!) microswitches, a cheapo MP3 player, a Robbe siren unit, a spare speaker, American SFX and a Maplins amplifier. Heath Robinson perhaps but a) it works, b) it's easily repairable and c) it's inexpensive. It is also built and tested whereas if I had to rely on a certain well-known commercial sound specialist, I would probably still be waiting on delivery next year....
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OK lets start a new discussion along these lines...
The Mayhem SMBSS (The Mayhem Simple Model Boat Sound System!)
Can we come up with our own ideas for a SIMPLE, self build & realistic model boat sound system.
http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=5316.msg52055#msg52055